Pressure gauge



WITNESS:

NV 6 11923., 11,4 73 l71 J. BQWDEN PRESSURE GAUGE Original Filed Mal ch 21, 1918 IN E TOR yaw/mm QM By Attorneys,

Patented Nov. ('13, 12923..

UNHTEE STATES earners.

FUNIUS A."ZBOWDE1\T, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. SCHRADIERS SON, INCORPORATED, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORJK A GORPORATION 0F NEW DR-K.

PRESSURE GAUGE.

Application filed March 21, 1913, Serial No. 223,837. Renewed April 18, 1923.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that l, JUNIUS A. Bownnrt,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing in Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPressure Gauges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pressure gauges adapted for indicating the pressure in pneumatic tires and comprises a device which is adapted to be' secured and retained on the tire while the tire is in use so that the pressure gauge will constantly indicate the amount of pressure in the tire.

The device embodies a gauge bar, operable longitudinally of the device,- which is visible to the eye and by means of which the pressure is indicated, and one,of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a transparent enclosure for this gauge bar which will keep out dust and water.

The device also embodies a rubber expansible member which is acted on by the air pressure, and a further object of the invention is to provide means for forming an airtight connection between the rubber member and metal body to which it is connected. A further object is to provide improved means for securing the gauge bar to this rubber member.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for securing the pressure gauge to the valve stem of the tire whereby a quick connection or disconnection may be made and yet a perfect air-tight union effected.

Other minor objects and advantages and details of construction will be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the device and through the tire valve to which it is attached.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation in detail of the protecting device for the transparent enclosure.

Fig. 3 is a section on line Fig. 4 is a section on line m*-m* Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a modified form of connection between the rubber air-chamber and metallic body.

Fig. G'shows another form of connection m -ac Fig. 2.

chambered lower end 3 with an outwardly projecting flange 4. The chambered portion 3 is slipped over .the outer end of the tire valve casing 5 and a rubber washer 6 is arranged within the chambered portion 3 to bear against the edge of the valve casing 5 and prevent air leakage. A sleeve 7 with flattened sides is slipped over the threaded portion of the valve casing 5 without engaging the threads thereof, the fiat portions 8 of the sleeve engaging the Hat portions of the valve casing 5 so that the sleeve 7 is non-revoluble. The sleeve 7 is external- 1y threaded and screwed thereon is a nut 9 having an inwardly directed flange 10 which engages the flange d. A set screw 11 is provided in the sleeve 7 to engage one of the flat sides of the valve casing 5 and a slight turn of the 'set screw 11 frees the sleeve 7 and permits the latter to be quickly withdrawn, together with all attached parts of the gauge. In replacing the gauge the sleeve 7 is slipped downuntil the washer 6 rests on the edge of the valve casing, then the set screw 11 is tightenedand then the nut may be given one or two turns to tightly squeeze the washer 6. This method of attachment maybe accomplished very quickly and is a great advantage over other methods in use with this form of valve because the the application of the tube for inflating the 11 is a set screw which extends tire. through the nut 9 and is adapted to engage the exterior smooth wall of the sleeve 7, and when the set screw 11 is tightened it prevents accidental rotation of the nut 9 and consequent loosening of the gauge.

Slidable on the threaded upper end of the body 1 is a disk 1'-1 below which is a nut 15. The disk 14 is recessed in its upper face and has a recess 16. The recessed por tion of the disk 14 receives the lower end of a rubber air chamber 17, the lower end of the latter being locked in intimate engagement with the threaded portion of the body 1 and the recess 16 by a flange 18 which is screwed to the body 1 and which has a downwardly projecting annular rib 19 which is received in an annular concave groove 20 in the rubber air chamber 17, as shown in Fig. 8. In assembling the parts of the device the lower end of the air chamber is placed over the disk 18 by stretching the air chamber. The rib 19 is slightly larger than its corresponding groove in the air chamber 17, thereby making a closer fit and better air-tight joint. The nut 15, acting against the disk 14, forces the lower flange of the air..-chamber 1.7 tightly against the flange l8.

, Screwed to the disk 11 is a barrel 21 which has a contracted upper end, and slidabla within the barrel 21 is a plate or follower 22 with a curled rim 23 which slides against the wall of the barrel 2]. and is thereby held centrally.

j The rubber air chamber 17 has'a boss or head 24 which projects through the follower 22 and also into the lower end of a hollow auge bar 25. The follower 22 holds the ower end of the gauge bar .25 centrally while the other end of the gauge bar is guided by a guide 26 formed on the upper end of the barrel 21. Immediately below the guide 26 the barrel is offset to form a shoulder 27 against which a coil spring 28 rests, the lower end of the spring 28 resting against the follower 22. The spring 28 tends to depress the follower .22 and air chamber 17 in opposition to whatever air pressure is within theair chamber 17 so that the gauge bar 25 .will stand in a position corresponding.

The gauge bar is divided into a series of sections 29, 30 and 31 or more and each section designates a certain ressure within the air chamber 17. I pre er to color the sections with different colors thus, section 29 may be red, section 30 may be green, section 31 may be yellow, and soon, whereby a person can tell from a considerable distance What the pressure is. The color of the sec?- tion can be seen from a much greater distance than could a numeral indicating pres sure in pounds, and when it is known that each color corresponds to a definite pressure it is only necessary for the person to note the innermost color which appears to view in order to'know what the pressure is. v

In order to protect the gauge bar and prevent the entrance of water or dust I employ a transparent tube 32 of any desired material such as glass, the lower end of the tube bearing against a gasket 33 and the upper end bearing against a gasket 34,.the gasket 31 being surmounted against a dished disk 35,.the projecting central portion 36 of the disk receiving ressure from a protector comprising a perforatedshield 37 which has openings 38 through which the position of the gauge bar may be seen. The shield 37 is screwed to the contracted portion 39 of thebarrel 21;

The valve which is heiein shown within the valve casin 5 is what is well known in the art as the bchrader universal valve and detail description thereof is unnecessary.

gauge is appIied. In the present case, how' ever, I provide for the necessary constant air communication by forming a slow leak which enables the air to pass outwardly very slowly through the valve. This is done by simply removing the rubber packing in the face of the valve 41 whereby the metal parts 40 and 41 seat directly against each other-and the contracting port-ions are not air-tight, so that air leaks through.

When the. pressure of air expands the air chamber 17 it forces up the upper portion of the air chamber, raising the follower 22 and gauge bar 25, and the flange 18 keeps the air chamber expanded radially whilethe rib 19 of the flange positively holds the lower end of the air chamber firmly in its seat in the disk 14, thereby making a strong air-tight joint. ward radial movement of that part of the air chamber with which it interlocks, as does also the recess in the disk 14, while the ribs 16 prevent the upward movement of the rubber at that point. The fiangelT of the air chamber is thus confined in a pocket of hunted s1ze and is positively prevented from spreading. The follower 22 which engages the head 24 always holds the air chamber in a proper central position irreof the chamber 17. A washer 44 rests upon The rib 19 prevents outin Fig. 1 and engages the annular groove 20 ment. wit

- filed by me, Serial Nos. 560,796 and 581,673.

: rounding the body and provided with an the upper face of the flange 42. The barrel body and its recess, said part having an 21 has an expanded flange which ,is annular groove which receives said rib, and screwed outside of a flange 46 formed on the means for holding the contiguous part of body 1. said air chamber closely against said rib.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the air cham- 3. In a pressure gauge, a body, a rubber ber 17 is constructed similar to that in air chamber on said body, means resisting Fig. 1, but the body 1 has an integral flange the expansive force of air in said air cham- 48 which takes the place of the spreader 18 her, a gau ebar havingan operative engageof the ai'r chamber. closing the air chamber, said gauge bar be- In Fig. 7 the construction is very similar ing slidable through the barrel, a transparto that of Fig. 6, except that a band d?) enent tube on the end of said barrel adapted circles the lower flange portion of the air to receive the end of said mange bar, a cylinchamber 17, preventing the spreading or drical shield secured to tide barrel and proreducing of the thickness of the flange, and tecting said transparent tube, said shield holds its groove 20 under the head et8 and having segmental openings, packing at each keeps the. lower portion of the air chamber end of the tube, and a disk between the in air-tight contact with the body 1. outer packing and end of the shield, said Certain features of construction herein disk having a central projection bearing shown are claimed in *prior applications against the end of the shield. I

What I claim is 1. In a pressure gauge, a body, a rubber chamber having an imperforate integral air chamber secured at one end to the body flanged boss in the center of one end thereand being imperforate except atsuch end, of, and openat the other end. said air chamber having an integral boss 5. In a pressure gauge, a body, a rubber projecting from said chamber at its imperair chamber secured: to the body and havforate outer end, a gauge bar,-means for ing an integral boss on its outer end, a securing the said gauge bar to theboss, and gauge bar, a plate againstrwhich the upper means for resisting-outward movement of end of said air chamber bears, said gauge the gauge bar. j bar being provided with an opening, said In a pressure gauge, a body, a flange boss passing through said opening, and on said body,.said flange having an annumeans for resisting the outward movement lar downwardly directed rib, a disk surof the gauge bar.

annular recess, and a rubber air chamber my name.-

with a part fitting in the flange on said J'UNIUS A. BOWDEN,

said air chamber, a barrel en- 4:.As a new article of manufacture for a pressure gauge, a cylindrical rubber air In witness whereof I have'hereunto signed 

